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Papini MG, Avila AN, Fitzgerald M, Hellewell SC. Evidence for Altered White Matter Organization After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Scoping Review on the Use of Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Blood-Based Biomarkers to Investigate Acute Pathology and Relationship to Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms. J Neurotrauma 2024. [PMID: 39096132 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2024.0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is the most common form of traumatic brain injury. Post-concussive symptoms typically resolve after a few weeks although up to 20% of people experience these symptoms for >3 months, termed persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS). Subtle white matter (WM) microstructural damage is thought to underlie neurological and cognitive deficits experienced post-mTBI. Evidence suggests that diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) and blood-based biomarkers could be used as surrogate markers of WM organization. We conducted a scoping review according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, aiming to collate evidence for the use of dMRI and/or blood-based biomarkers of WM organization, in mTBI and PPCS, and document relationships between WM biomarkers and symptoms. We focused specifically on biomarkers of axonal or myelin integrity post-mTBI. Biomarkers excluded from this review therefore included the following: astroglial, perivascular, endothelial, and inflammatory markers. A literature search performed across four databases, EMBASE, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ProQuest, identified 100 records: 68 analyzed dMRI, 28 assessed blood-based biomarkers, and 4 used both. Blood biomarker studies commonly assessed axonal cytoskeleton proteins (i.e., tau); dMRI studies assessed measures of WM organization (i.e., fractional anisotropy). Significant biomarker alterations were frequently associated with heightened symptom burden and prolonged recovery time post-injury. These data suggest that dMRI and blood-based biomarkers may be useful proxies of WM organization, although few studies assessed these complementary measures in parallel, and the relationship between modalities remains unclear. Further studies are warranted to assess the benefit of a combined biomarker approach in evaluating alterations to WM organization after mTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa G Papini
- Curtin Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Australia
| | - André N Avila
- Curtin Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Australia
| | - Melinda Fitzgerald
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Australia
| | - Sarah C Hellewell
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Australia
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Kawas MI, Atcheson KM, Flood WC, Sheridan CA, Barcus RA, Flashman LA, McAllister TW, Lipford ME, Kim J, Urban JE, Davenport EM, Vaughan CG, Sai KKS, Stitzel JD, Maldjian JA, Whitlow CT. Cognitive and Salience Network Connectivity Changes following a Single Season of Repetitive Head Impact Exposure in High School Football. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2024; 45:1116-1123. [PMID: 39054293 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a8294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE During a season of high school football, adolescents with actively developing brains experience a considerable number of head impacts. Our aim was to determine whether repetitive head impacts in the absence of a clinically diagnosed concussion during a season of high school football produce changes in cognitive performance or functional connectivity of the salience network and its central hub, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. MATERIALS AND METHODS Football players were instrumented with the Head Impact Telemetry System during all practices and games, and the helmet sensor data were used to compute a risk-weighted exposure metric (RWEcp), accounting for the cumulative risk during the season. Participants underwent MRI and a cognitive battery (ImPACT) before and shortly after the football season. A control group of noncontact/limited-contact-sport athletes was formed from 2 cohorts: one from the same school and protocol and another from a separate, nearly identical study. RESULTS Sixty-three football players and 34 control athletes were included in the cognitive performance analysis. Preseason, the control group scored significantly higher on the ImPACT Visual Motor (P = .04) and Reaction Time composites (P = .006). These differences increased postseason (P = .003, P < .001, respectively). Additionally, the control group had significantly higher postseason scores on the Visual Memory composite (P = .001). Compared with controls, football players showed significantly less improvement in the Verbal (P = .04) and Visual Memory composites (P = .01). A significantly greater percentage of contact athletes had lower-than-expected scores on the Verbal Memory (27% versus 6%), Visual Motor (21% versus 3%), and Reaction Time composites (24% versus 6%). Among football players, a higher RWEcp was significantly associated with greater increments in ImPACT Reaction Time (P = .03) and Total Symptom Scores postseason (P = .006). Fifty-seven football players and 13 control athletes were included in the imaging analyses. Postseason, football players showed significant decreases in interhemispheric connectivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (P = .026) and within-network connectivity of the salience network (P = .018). These decreases in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex interhemispheric connectivity and within-network connectivity of the salience network were significantly correlated with deteriorating ImPACT Total Symptom (P = .03) and Verbal Memory scores (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS Head impact exposure during a single season of high school football is negatively associated with cognitive performance and brain network connectivity. Future studies should further characterize these short-term effects and examine their relationship with long-term sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad I Kawas
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Department of Physiology (M.I.K.), Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Kyle M Atcheson
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - William C Flood
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Christopher A Sheridan
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Richard A Barcus
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Laura A Flashman
- Department of Neuropsychology (L.A.F.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Thomas W McAllister
- Department of Psychiatry (T.W.M.), Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Megan E Lipford
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Jeongchul Kim
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Jillian E Urban
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.E.U., J.D.S.), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Elizabeth M Davenport
- Department of Radiology (E.M.D., J.A.M), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Christopher G Vaughan
- Division of Pediatric Neuropsychology (C.G.V.), Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Kiran K Solingapuram Sai
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Joel D Stitzel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.E.U., J.D.S.), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Joseph A Maldjian
- Department of Radiology (E.M.D., J.A.M), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Christopher T Whitlow
- From the Department of Radiology (M.I.K., K.M.A., W.C.F., C.A.S., R.A.B., M.E.L., J.K., K.K.S.S., C.T.W.), Wake Forest School of Medicine/Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Hack L, Singh B, Binkofski F, Helmich I. Repetitive Subconcussive Head Impacts in Sports and Their Impact on Brain Anatomy and Function: A Systematic Review. Int J Sports Med 2024. [PMID: 38857880 DOI: 10.1055/a-2342-3604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Repetitive subconcussive head impacts occur regularly in sports. However, the exact relationship between their biomechanical properties and their consequences on brain structure and function has not been clarified yet. We therefore reviewed prospective cohort studies that objectively reported the biomechanical characteristics of repetitive subconcussive head impacts and their impact on brain anatomy and function. Only studies with a pre- to post-measurement design were included. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Structural white matter alterations, such as reduced fractional anisotropy and an increase in mean diffusivity values, seem to be evident in athletes exposed to repetitive subconcussive head impacts exceeding 10 g. Such changes are observable after only one season of play. Furthermore, a dose-response relationship exists between white matter abnormalities and the total number of subconcussive head impacts. However, functional changes after repetitive subconcussive head impacts remain inconclusive. We therefore conclude that repetitive subconcussive head impacts induce structural changes, but thus far without overt functional changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Hack
- Department of Motor Behavior in Sports, German Sport University Cologne, Koln, Germany
- Department of Human Movement Science, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bhagyashree Singh
- Department of Motor Behavior in Sports, German Sport University Cologne, Koln, Germany
| | - Ferdinand Binkofski
- Clinical Cognitive Sciences, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen , Germany
| | - Ingo Helmich
- Department of Motor Behavior in Sports, German Sport University Cologne, Koln, Germany
- Department of Exercise and Sport Studies, Smith College, Northampton, United States
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychiatry, German Sport University Cologne, Koln, Germany
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Wilkerson GB, Wynn KR, Dill PW, Acocello S, Carlson LM, Hogg J. Concussion history and virtual reality metrics predict core or lower extremity injury occurrence among high school athletes. Front Sports Act Living 2024; 6:1374772. [PMID: 38600904 PMCID: PMC11004318 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1374772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction A history of concussion is recognized as a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury, which is likely associated with physiological effects that warrant better understanding. This study aimed to assess the potential of measurements obtained from an immersive virtual reality (VR) test to identify a subtle perceptual-motor impairment that may be prospectively associated with the occurrence of a core or lower extremity sprain or strain. Methods A cohort of 68 high school athletes (41 female soccer players and 27 male football players) provided survey responses and completed an immersive VR test several days prior to the initiation of preseason practice sessions. Measurements of eye, neck, arm, and whole-body displacements were obtained during 40 successive lunging/reaching responses to visual stimuli moving horizontally across the VR headset display. Injury occurrences were electronically documented from the initial preseason practice session to the final game of the season. Results A statistically significant and intrinsically credible two-factor prediction model for core or lower extremity injury occurrence included an interaction between female sex and a self-reported history of two or more concussions, along with slow response time (RT) for arm reach (OR = 4.67; 95% CI, 1.51-14.43). Follow-up analyses identified sex-specific cut points for arm reach RT associated with elevated injury risk, which were ≥1.385 s for females and ≥1.257 s for males. Discussion High school female soccer players who have sustained more than one concussion appear to be highly vulnerable to core or lower extremity sprain or strain, with the risk of injury compounded by a slow arm reach RT. Male football players as a group demonstrated significantly faster arm reach RT than that of female soccer players, but slow perceptual-motor RT for arm reach was also identified as a potentially important injury risk factor for male players. Immersive VR appears to provide precise measurements of behavioral performance characteristics that depend on brain processing efficiency. Given that the speed, accuracy, and consistency of perceptual-motor responses may be modifiable, future research should explore the potential benefits of VR training for reducing the risk of sport-related injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary B. Wilkerson
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Kimberly R. Wynn
- Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Mercer University, Macon, GA, United States
| | - Paige W. Dill
- Sports Medicine Outreach Program, Optim Health System, Mount Vernon, GA, United States
| | - Shellie Acocello
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Lynette M. Carlson
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Jennifer Hogg
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
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Cherian KN, Keynan JN, Anker L, Faerman A, Brown RE, Shamma A, Keynan O, Coetzee JP, Batail JM, Phillips A, Bassano NJ, Sahlem GL, Inzunza J, Millar T, Dickinson J, Rolle CE, Keller J, Adamson M, Kratter IH, Williams NR. Magnesium-ibogaine therapy in veterans with traumatic brain injuries. Nat Med 2024; 30:373-381. [PMID: 38182784 PMCID: PMC10878970 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02705-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability. Sequelae can include functional impairments and psychiatric syndromes such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. Special Operations Forces (SOF) veterans (SOVs) may be at an elevated risk for these complications, leading some to seek underexplored treatment alternatives such as the oneirogen ibogaine, a plant-derived compound known to interact with multiple neurotransmitter systems that has been studied primarily as a treatment for substance use disorders. Ibogaine has been associated with instances of fatal cardiac arrhythmia, but coadministration of magnesium may mitigate this concern. In the present study, we report a prospective observational study of the Magnesium-Ibogaine: the Stanford Traumatic Injury to the CNS protocol (MISTIC), provided together with complementary treatment modalities, in 30 male SOVs with predominantly mild TBI. We assessed changes in the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule from baseline to immediately (primary outcome) and 1 month (secondary outcome) after treatment. Additional secondary outcomes included changes in PTSD (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5), depression (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale) and anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale). MISTIC resulted in significant improvements in functioning both immediately (Pcorrected < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.74) and 1 month (Pcorrected < 0.001, d = 2.20) after treatment and in PTSD (Pcorrected < 0.001, d = 2.54), depression (Pcorrected < 0.001, d = 2.80) and anxiety (Pcorrected < 0.001, d = 2.13) at 1 month after treatment. There were no unexpected or serious adverse events. Controlled clinical trials to assess safety and efficacy are needed to validate these initial open-label findings. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT04313712 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten N Cherian
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jackob N Keynan
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Anker
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Afik Faerman
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Ahmed Shamma
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Or Keynan
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John P Coetzee
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Polytrauma Division, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Jean-Marie Batail
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Angela Phillips
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Bassano
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Gregory L Sahlem
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jose Inzunza
- Ambio Life Sciences, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Trevor Millar
- Ambio Life Sciences, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - C E Rolle
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Keller
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maheen Adamson
- WRIISC-WOMEN & Department of Rehabilitation, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ian H Kratter
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nolan R Williams
- Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Wilkerson GB, Fleming LR, Adams VP, Petty RJ, Carlson LM, Hogg JA, Acocello SN. Assessment and Training of Perceptual-Motor Function: Performance of College Wrestlers Associated with History of Concussion. Brain Sci 2024; 14:68. [PMID: 38248283 PMCID: PMC10813796 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Concussion may affect sport performance capabilities related to the visual perception of environmental events, rapid decision-making, and the generation of effective movement responses. Immersive virtual reality (VR) offers a means to quantify, and potentially enhance, the speed, accuracy, and consistency of responses generated by integrated neural processes. A cohort of 24 NCAA Division I male wrestlers completed VR assessments before and after a 3-week VR training program designed to improve their perceptual-motor performance. Prior to training, the intra-individual variability (IIV) among 40 successive task trials for perceptual latency (i.e., time elapsed between visual stimulus presentation and the initiation of movement response) demonstrated strong discrimination between 10 wrestlers who self-reported a history of concussion from 14 wrestlers who denied ever having sustained a concussion (Area Under Curve ≥ 0.750 for neck, arm, and step movements). Natural log transformation improved the distribution normality of the IIV values for both perceptual latency and response time (i.e., time elapsed between visual stimulus presentation and the completion of movement response). The repeated measures ANOVA results demonstrated statistically significant (p < 0.05) pre- and post-training differences between groups for the IIV in perceptual latency and the IIV in response time for neck, arm, and step movements. Five of the six IIV metrics demonstrated a statistically significant magnitude of change for both groups, with large effect sizes. We conclude that a VR assessment can detect impairments in perceptual-motor performance among college wrestlers with a history of concussion. Although significant post-training group differences were evident, VR training can yield significant performance improvements in both groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary B. Wilkerson
- Department of Health & Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA; (L.M.C.); (J.A.H.); (S.N.A.)
| | - Lexi R. Fleming
- Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA;
| | - Victoria P. Adams
- Sports Medicine Outreach Program, Piedmont Physicians Athens Regional Medical Center, Watkinsville, GA 30677, USA;
| | - Richard J. Petty
- Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA;
| | - Lynette M. Carlson
- Department of Health & Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA; (L.M.C.); (J.A.H.); (S.N.A.)
| | - Jennifer A. Hogg
- Department of Health & Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA; (L.M.C.); (J.A.H.); (S.N.A.)
| | - Shellie N. Acocello
- Department of Health & Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA; (L.M.C.); (J.A.H.); (S.N.A.)
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Savitz J, Goeckner BD, Ford BN, Kent Teague T, Zheng H, Harezlak J, Mannix R, Tugan Muftuler L, Brett BL, McCrea MA, Meier TB. The effects of cytomegalovirus on brain structure following sport-related concussion. Brain 2023; 146:4262-4273. [PMID: 37070698 PMCID: PMC10545519 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurotrophic herpes virus cytomegalovirus is a known cause of neuropathology in utero and in immunocompromised populations. Cytomegalovirus is reactivated by stress and inflammation, possibly explaining the emerging evidence linking it to subtle brain changes in the context of more minor disturbances of immune function. Even mild forms of traumatic brain injury, including sport-related concussion, are major physiological stressors that produce neuroinflammation. In theory, concussion could predispose to the reactivation of cytomegalovirus and amplify the effects of physical injury on brain structure. However, to our knowledge this hypothesis remains untested. This study evaluated the effect of cytomegalovirus serostatus on white and grey matter structure in a prospective study of athletes with concussion and matched contact-sport controls. Athletes who sustained concussion (n = 88) completed MRI at 1, 8, 15 and 45 days post-injury; matched uninjured athletes (n = 73) completed similar visits. Cytomegalovirus serostatus was determined by measuring serum IgG antibodies (n = 30 concussed athletes and n = 21 controls were seropositive). Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to adjust for confounding factors between athletes with and without cytomegalovirus. White matter microstructure was assessed using diffusion kurtosis imaging metrics in regions previously shown to be sensitive to concussion. T1-weighted images were used to quantify mean cortical thickness and total surface area. Concussion-related symptoms, psychological distress, and serum concentration of C-reactive protein at 1 day post-injury were included as exploratory outcomes. Planned contrasts compared the effects of cytomegalovirus seropositivity in athletes with concussion and controls, separately. There was a significant effect of cytomegalovirus on axial and radial kurtosis in athletes with concussion but not controls. Cytomegalovirus positive athletes with concussion showed greater axial (P = 0.007, d = 0.44) and radial (P = 0.010, d = 0.41) kurtosis than cytomegalovirus negative athletes with concussion. Similarly, there was a significant association of cytomegalovirus with cortical thickness in athletes with concussion but not controls. Cytomegalovirus positive athletes with concussion had reduced mean cortical thickness of the right hemisphere (P = 0.009, d = 0.42) compared with cytomegalovirus negative athletes with concussion and showed a similar trend for the left hemisphere (P = 0.036, d = 0.33). There was no significant effect of cytomegalovirus on kurtosis fractional anisotropy, surface area, symptoms and C-reactive protein. The results raise the possibility that cytomegalovirus infection contributes to structural brain abnormalities in the aftermath of concussion perhaps via an amplification of concussion-associated neuroinflammation. More work is needed to identify the biological pathways underlying this process and to clarify the clinical relevance of this putative viral effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Savitz
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK 74136, USA
- Oxley College of Health Sciences, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK 74119, USA
| | - Bryna D Goeckner
- Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Bart N Ford
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74107, USA
| | - T Kent Teague
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine, Tulsa, OK 74135, USA
- Department of Surgery, The University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine, Tulsa, OK 74135, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy, Tulsa, OK 74135, USA
| | - Haixia Zheng
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK 74136, USA
| | - Jaroslaw Harezlak
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Rebekah Mannix
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - L Tugan Muftuler
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Benjamin L Brett
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Michael A McCrea
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Timothy B Meier
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
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8
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Charney MF, Ye KQ, Fleysher R, DeMessie B, Stewart WF, Zimmerman ME, Kim M, Lipton RB, Lipton ML. Age of first exposure to soccer heading: Associations with cognitive, clinical, and imaging outcomes in the Einstein Soccer Study. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1042707. [PMID: 36846112 PMCID: PMC9947556 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1042707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The objective of this study is to assess the role of age at first exposure (AFE) to soccer heading as a predictor of known adverse associations of recent and longer-term heading with brain microstructure, cognitive, and behavioral features among adult amateur soccer players. Methods The sample included 276 active amateur soccer players (196 male and 81 female) aged 18-53 years old. AFE to soccer heading was treated as a binary variable, dichotomized at ≤ 10 years vs. >10 years old, based on a recently promulgated US Soccer policy, which bans heading for athletes ages 10 and under. Results We found that soccer players who began heading at age 10 or younger performed better on tests of working memory (p = 0.03) and verbal learning (p = 0.02), while accounting for duration of heading exposure, education, sex, and verbal intelligence. No difference in brain microstructure or behavioral measures was observed between the two exposure groups. Discussion The findings indicate that, among adult amateur soccer players, AFE to heading before age 10 compared to later start of heading, is not associated with adverse outcomes, and may be associated with better cognitive performance in young adulthood. Cumulative heading exposure across the lifespan, rather than early life exposure, may drive risk for adverse effects and should be the focus of future longitudinal studies to inform approaches to enhance player safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly F. Charney
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States,Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Molly F. Charney ✉
| | - Kenny Q. Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States,Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Roman Fleysher
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States,Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Bluyé DeMessie
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States,Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
| | | | | | - Mimi Kim
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Richard B. Lipton
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States,Saul B. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States,Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Michael L. Lipton
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States,Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States,Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
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9
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Wilkerson GB, Colston MA, Acocello SN, Hogg JA, Carlson LM. Subtle impairments of perceptual-motor function and well-being are detectable among military cadets and college athletes with self-reported history of concussion. Front Sports Act Living 2023; 5:1046572. [PMID: 36761780 PMCID: PMC9905443 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1046572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction A lack of obvious long-term effects of concussion on standard clinical measures of behavioral performance capabilities does not preclude the existence of subtle neural processing impairments that appear to be linked to elevated risk for subsequent concussion occurrence, and which may be associated with greater susceptibility to progressive neurodegenerative processes. The purpose of this observational cohort study was to assess virtual reality motor response variability and survey responses as possible indicators of suboptimal brain function among military cadets and college athletes with self-reported history of concussion (HxC). Methods The cohort comprised 75 college students (20.7 ± 2.1 years): 39 Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) military cadets (10 female), 16 football players, and 20 wrestlers; HxC self-reported by 20 (29.2 ± 27.1 months prior, range: 3-96). A virtual reality (VR) test involving 40 lunging/reaching responses to horizontally moving dots (filled/congruent: same direction; open/incongruent: opposite direction) was administered, along with the Sport Fitness and Wellness Index (SFWI) survey. VR Dispersion (standard deviation of 12 T-scores for neck, upper extremity, and lower extremity responses to congruent vs. incongruent stimuli originating from central vs. peripheral locations) and SFWI response patterns were the primary outcomes of interest. Results Logistic regression modeling of VR Dispersion (range: 1.5-21.8), SFWI (range: 44-100), and an interaction between them provided 81% HxC classification accuracy (Model χ 2[2] = 26.03, p < .001; Hosmer & Lemeshow χ 2[8] = 1.86, p = .967; Nagelkerke R 2 = .427; Area Under Curve = .841, 95% CI: .734, .948). Binary modeling that included VR Dispersion ≥3.2 and SFWI ≤86 demonstrated 75% sensitivity and 86% specificity with both factors positive (Odds Ratio = 17.6, 95% CI: 5.0, 62.1). Discussion/Conclusion Detection of subtle indicators of altered brain processes that might otherwise remain unrecognized is clearly important for both short-term and long-term clinical management of concussion. Inconsistency among neck, upper extremity, and lower extremity responses to different types of moving visual stimuli, along with survey responses suggesting suboptimal well-being, merit further investigation as possible clinical indicators of persisting effects of concussion that might prove to be modifiable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary B Wilkerson
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Marisa A Colston
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Shellie N Acocello
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Jennifer A Hogg
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Lynette M Carlson
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
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10
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Hoffman LJ, Mis RE, Brough C, Ramirez S, Langford D, Giovannetti T, Olson IR. Concussions in young adult athletes: No effect on cerebral white matter. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1113971. [PMID: 36936617 PMCID: PMC10014705 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1113971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The media's recent focus on possible negative health outcomes following sports- related concussion has increased awareness as well as anxiety among parents and athletes. However, the literature on concussion outcomes is equivocal and limited by a variety of diagnostic approaches. Methods The current study used a rigorous, open- access concussion identification method-the Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification method (OSU TBI-ID) to identify concussion and periods of repeated, subclinical head trauma in 108 young adult athletes who also underwent a comprehensive protocol of cognitive tests, mood/anxiety questionnaires, and high-angular-resolution diffusion-weighted brain imaging to evaluate potential changes in white matter microstructure. Results Analyses showed that athletes with a history of repetitive, subclinical impacts to the head performed slightly worse on a measure of inhibitory impulse control and had more anxiety symptoms compared to those who never sustained any type of head injury but were otherwise the same as athletes with no history of concussion. Importantly, there were no group differences in cerebral white matter as measured by tract- based spatial statistics (TBSS), nor were there any associations between OSU TBI-ID measures and whole-brain principal scalars and free-water corrected scalars. Discussion Our results provide support for the hypothesis that it is not concussion per se, but repetitive head impacts that beget worse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda J. Hoffman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Rachel E. Mis
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Caroline Brough
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Servio Ramirez
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Dianne Langford
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Tania Giovannetti
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ingrid R. Olson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Ingrid R. Olson,
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11
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Chung S, Chen J, Li T, Wang Y, Lui YW. Investigating Brain White Matter in Football Players with and without Concussion Using a Biophysical Model from Multishell Diffusion MRI. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2022; 43:823-828. [PMID: 35589140 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE There have been growing concerns around potential risks related to sports-related concussion and contact sport exposure to repetitive head impacts in young athletes. Here we investigate WM microstructural differences between collegiate football players with and without sports-related concussion. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included 78 collegiate athletes (24 football players with sports-related concussion, 26 football players with repetitive head impacts, and 28 non-contact-sport control athletes), available through the Federal Interagency Traumatic Brain Injury Research registry. Diffusion metrics of diffusion tensor/kurtosis imaging and WM tract integrity were calculated. Tract-Based Spatial Statistics and post hoc ROI analyses were performed to test group differences. RESULTS Significantly increased axial kurtosis in those with sports-related concussion compared with controls was observed diffusely across the whole-brain WM, and some focal areas demonstrated significantly higher mean kurtosis and extra-axonal axial diffusivity in sports-related concussion. The extent of significantly different WM regions decreased across time points and remained present primarily in the corpus callosum. Similar differences in axial kurtosis were found between the repetitive head impact and control groups. Other significant differences were seen at unrestricted return-to-play with lower radial kurtosis and intra-axonal diffusivity in those with sports-related concussion compared with the controls, mainly restricted to the posterior callosum. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the fact that there are differences in diffusion microstructure measures that are present not only between football players with sports-related injuries and controls, but that there are also measurable differences between football players with repetitive head impacts and controls. This work reinforces previous work showing that the corpus callosum is specifically implicated in sports-related concussion and also suggests this to be true for repetitive head impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Chung
- From the Department of Radiology (S.C., Y.W.L.), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research .,Department of Radiology (S.C., Y.W.L.), Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - J Chen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (J.C., T.L., Y.W.), New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York
| | - T Li
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (J.C., T.L., Y.W.), New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Y Wang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (J.C., T.L., Y.W.), New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Y W Lui
- From the Department of Radiology (S.C., Y.W.L.), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research.,Department of Radiology (S.C., Y.W.L.), Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
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12
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Smulligan KL, Wilson JC, Howell DR. INCREASED RISK OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AFTER CONCUSSION. OPER TECHN SPORT MED 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.otsm.2022.150896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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13
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Wilkerson GB, Bruce JR, Wilson AW, Huang N, Sartipi M, Acocello SN, Hogg JA, Mansouri M. Perceptual-Motor Efficiency and Concussion History Are Prospectively Associated With Injury Occurrences Among High School and Collegiate American Football Players. Orthop J Sports Med 2021; 9:23259671211051722. [PMID: 34722788 PMCID: PMC8552393 DOI: 10.1177/23259671211051722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: After a sport-related concussion (SRC), the risk for lower extremity injury is approximately 2 times greater, and the risk for another SRC may be as much as 3 to 5 times greater. Purpose: To assess the predictive validity of screening methods for identification of individual athletes who possess an elevated risk of SRC. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Metrics derived from a smartphone flanker test software application and self-ratings of both musculoskeletal function and overall wellness were acquired from American high school and college football players before study participation. Occurrences of core or lower extremity injury (CLEI) and SRC were documented for all practice sessions and games for 1 season. Receiver operating characteristic and logistic regression analyses were used to identify variables that provided the greatest predictive accuracy for CLEI or SRC occurrence. Results: Overall, there were 87 high school and 74 American college football players included in this study. At least 1 CLEI was sustained by 45% (39/87) of high school players and 55% (41/74) of college players. Predictors of CLEI included the flanker test conflict effect ≥69 milliseconds (odds ratio [OR], 2.12; 90% CI, 1.24-3.62) and a self-reported lifetime history of SRC (OR, 1.70; 90% CI, 0.90-3.23). Of players with neither risk factor, only 38% (29/77) sustained CLEI compared with 61% (51/84) of players with 1 or both of the risk factors (OR, 2.56; 90% CI, 1.50-4.36). SRC was sustained by 7 high school players and 3 college players. Predictors of SRC included the Overall Wellness Index score ≤78 (OR, 9.83; 90% CI, 3.17-30.50), number of postconcussion symptoms ≥4 (OR, 8.35; 90% CI, 2.71-25.72), the Sport Fitness Index score ≤78 (OR, 5.16; 90% CI, 1.70-15.65), history of SRC (OR, 4.03; 90% CI, 1.35-12.03), and the flanker test inverse efficiency ratio ≥1.7 (OR, 3.19; 90% CI, 1.08-9.47). Conclusion: Survey responses and smartphone flanker test metrics predicted greater injury incidence among individual football players classified as high-risk compared with that for players with a low-risk profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary B Wilkerson
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jeremy R Bruce
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| | - Andrew W Wilson
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| | - Neal Huang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| | - Mina Sartipi
- Center for Urban Informatics and Progress, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| | - Shellie N Acocello
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jennifer A Hogg
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| | - Misagh Mansouri
- Center for Urban Informatics and Progress, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
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14
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Wilkerson GB, Nabhan DC, Perry TS. A Novel Approach to Assessment of Perceptual-Motor Efficiency and Training-Induced Improvement in the Performance Capabilities of Elite Athletes. Front Sports Act Living 2021; 3:729729. [PMID: 34661098 PMCID: PMC8517233 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2021.729729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Standard clinical assessments of mild traumatic brain injury are inadequate to detect subtle abnormalities that can be revealed by sophisticated diagnostic technology. An association has been observed between sport-related concussion (SRC) and subsequent musculoskeletal injury, but the underlying neurophysiological mechanism is not currently understood. A cohort of 16 elite athletes (10 male, 6 female), which included nine individuals who reported a history of SRC (5 male, 4 female) that occurred between 4 months and 8 years earlier, volunteered to participate in a 12-session program for assessment and training of perceptual-motor efficiency. Performance metrics derived from single- and dual-task whole-body lateral and diagonal reactive movements to virtual reality targets in left and right directions were analyzed separately and combined in various ways to create composite representations of global function. Intra-individual variability across performance domains demonstrated very good SRC history classification accuracy for the earliest 3-session phase of the program (Reaction Time Dispersion AUC = 0.841; Deceleration Dispersion AUC = 0.810; Reaction Time Discrepancy AUC = 0.825, Deceleration Discrepancy AUC = 0.794). Good earliest phase discrimination was also found for Composite Asymmetry between left and right movement directions (AUC = 0.778) and Excursion Average distance beyond the minimal body displacement necessary for virtual target deactivation (AUC = 0.730). Sensitivity derived from Youden's Index for the 6 global factors ranged from 67 to 89% and an identical specificity value of 86% for all of them. Median values demonstrated substantial improvement from the first 3-session phase to the last 3-session phase for Composite Asymmetry and Excursion Average. The results suggest that a Composite Asymmetry value ≥ 0.15 and an Excursion Average value ≥ 7 m, provide reasonable qualitative approximations for clinical identification of suboptimal perceptual-motor performance. Despite acknowledged study limitations, the findings support a hypothesized relationship between whole-body reactive agility performance and functional connectivity among brain networks subserving sensory perception, cognitive decision-making, and motor execution. A complex systems approach appears to perform better than traditional data analysis methods for detection of subtle perceptual-motor impairment, which has the potential to advance both clinical management of SRC and training for performance enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary B Wilkerson
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Dustin C Nabhan
- Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, Norwegian School of Sport Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tyler S Perry
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, United States
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15
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Relationship Between Time-Weighted Head Impact Exposure on Directional Changes in Diffusion Imaging in Youth Football Players. Ann Biomed Eng 2021; 49:2852-2862. [PMID: 34549344 PMCID: PMC8978207 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-021-02862-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 3.5 million youth and adolescents in the US play football, a sport with one of the highest rates of concussion. Repeated subconcussive head impact exposure (HIE) may lead to negative neurological sequelae. To understand HIE as an independent predictive variable, quantitative cumulative kinematic metrics have been developed to capture the volume (i.e., number), severity (i.e., magnitude), and frequency (i.e., time-weighting by the interval between head impacts). In this study, time-weighted cumulative HIE metrics were compared with directional changes in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics. Changes in DTI conducted on a per-season, per-player basis were assessed as a dependent variable. Directional changes were defined separately as increases and decreases in the number of abnormal voxels relative to non-contact sport controls. Biomechanical and imaging data from 117 athletes (average age 11.9 ± 1.0 years) enrolled in this study was analyzed. Cumulative HIE metrics were more strongly correlated with increases in abnormal voxels than decreases in abnormal voxels. Additionally, across DTI sub-measures, increases and decreases in mean diffusivity (MD) had the strongest relationships with HIE metrics (increases in MD: average R2 = 0.1753, average p = 0.0002; decreases in MD: average R2 = 0.0997, average p = 0.0073). This encourages further investigation into the physiological phenomena represented by directional changes.
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16
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Lees B, Earls NE, Meares S, Batchelor J, Oxenham V, Rae CD, Jugé L, Cysique LA. Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Sport-Related Concussion: A Systematic Review Using an a priori Quality Rating System. J Neurotrauma 2021; 38:3032-3046. [PMID: 34309410 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2021.0154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of brain white matter (WM) may be useful for characterizing the nature and degree of brain injury after sport-related concussion (SRC) and assist in establishing objective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review using an a priori quality rating strategy to determine the most consistent DTI-WM changes post-SRC. Articles published in English (until June 2020) were retrieved by standard research engine and gray literature searches (N = 4932), using PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies were non-interventional naturalistic original studies that conducted DTI within 6 months of SRC in current athletes from all levels of play, types of sports, and sex. A total of 29 articles were included in the review, and after quality appraisal by two raters, data from 10 studies were extracted after being identified as high quality. High-quality studies showed widespread moderate-to-large WM differences when SRC samples were compared to controls during the acute to early chronic stage (days to weeks) post-SRC, including both increased and decreased fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity and decreased mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity. WM differences remained stable in the chronic stage (2-6 months post-SRC). DTI metrics were commonly associated with SRC symptom severity, although standardized SRC diagnostics would improve future research. This indicates that microstructural recovery is often incomplete at return to play and may lag behind clinically assessed recovery measures. Future work should explore interindividual trajectories to improve understanding of the heterogeneous and dynamic WM patterns post-SRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana Lees
- The Matilda Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicola E Earls
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Susanne Meares
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jennifer Batchelor
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vincent Oxenham
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Caroline D Rae
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lauriane Jugé
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lucette A Cysique
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.,St. Vincent's Hospital Applied Medical Research Centre, Peter Duncan Neuroscience, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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17
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Johansson B. Mental Fatigue after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Relation to Cognitive Tests and Brain Imaging Methods. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18115955. [PMID: 34199339 PMCID: PMC8199529 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18115955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Most people recover within months after a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion, but some will suffer from long-term fatigue with a reduced quality of life and the inability to maintain their employment status or education. For many people, mental fatigue is one of the most distressing and long-lasting symptoms following an mTBI. No efficient treatment options can be offered. The best method for measuring fatigue today is with fatigue self-assessment scales, there being no objective clinical tests available for mental fatigue. The aim here is to provide a narrative review and identify fatigue in relation to cognitive tests and brain imaging methods. Suggestions for future research are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgitta Johansson
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 45 Göteborg, Sweden
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18
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Upper-Extremity Perceptual-Motor Training Improves Whole-Body Reactive Agility Among Elite Athletes With History of Sport-Related Concussion. J Sport Rehabil 2021; 30:844-849. [PMID: 33418536 DOI: 10.1123/jsr.2020-0337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Sport-related concussion (SRC) elevates risk for subsequent injury, which may relate to impaired perceptual-motor processes that are potentially modifiable. OBJECTIVE To assess a possible upper-extremity (UE) training effect on whole-body (WB) reactive agility performance among elite athletes with history of SRC (HxSRC) and without such history of SRC. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING Residential training center. PARTICIPANTS Elite athletes (12 males and 8 females), including 10 HxSRC and 10 without such history of SRC. INTERVENTION One-minute training sessions completed 2 to 3 times per week over a 3-week period involved verbal identification of center arrow direction for 10 incongruent and 10 congruent flanker test trials with simultaneous reaching responses to deactivate illuminated buttons. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Pretraining and posttraining assessments of UE and WB reactive responses included flanker test conflict effect (incongruent minus congruent reaction time) and WB lateral average asymmetry derived from reaction time, speed, acceleration, and deceleration in opposite directions. Discrimination was assessed by receiver operating characteristic analysis, and training effect was assessed by repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS Pretraining discrimination between HxSRC and without such history of SRC was greatest for conflict effect ≥80 milliseconds and WB lateral average asymmetry ≥18%. Each athlete completed 6 training sessions, which improved UE mean reaction time from 767 to 646 milliseconds (P < .001) and reduced mean conflict effect from 96 to 53 milliseconds (P = .039). A significant group × trial interaction was evident for WB lateral average asymmetry (P = .004), which was reduced from 24.3% to 12.5% among those with HxSRC. CONCLUSIONS Suboptimal perceptual-motor performance may represent a subtle long-term effect of concussion that is modifiable through UE training, which appears to improve WB reactive capabilities.
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Wilkerson GB, Acocello SN, Davis MB, Ramos JM, Rucker AJ, Hogg JA. Wellness Survey Responses and Smartphone App Response Efficiency: Associations With Remote History of Sport-Related Concussion. Percept Mot Skills 2020; 128:714-730. [PMID: 33357092 DOI: 10.1177/0031512520983680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Recent research findings have strongly suggested that sport-related concussion (SRC) increases risk for subsequent injury of any type, as well as a potential for long-term adverse effects on neurological and psychological well-being. The primary purpose of this study was to explore the reliability and discriminatory power of clinical testing procedures for detecting persisting effects of SRC. We used a cross-sectional study design to assess both self-reported symptoms commonly associated with post-concussion syndrome, and the effects of mental or physical activity on metrics derived from a smartphone app designed to test perceptual-motor responses. Among 30 physically active college students, 15 participants reported a SRC occurrence prior to testing (M time-since-injury = 4.0 years, SD = 3.1, range = 5 months to 11 years). We found good test-retest reliability for key metrics derived from the smartphone app (ICC ≥ .70); and the internal consistency for the Overall Wellness Index (OWI) for 10 categories of 82 post-concussion symptoms was ideal (Cronbach's α ≥ .80). Moderate intensity treadmill running demonstrated the strongest differential effect on perceptual-motor responses between participants with a history of SRC (HxSRC) and those with no such history (No SRC), which was best represented by the speed-accuracy trade-off quantified by the inverse efficiency index (IEI: group X trial interaction p = .055). Self-reported OWI symptoms ≥4 and post-physical activity IEI ≥ 568 ms provided the strongest discrimination between HxSRC and NoSRC participants (≥1 versus 0: OR = 9.75). Our findings suggest that persisting effects from a remote SRC occurrence can be detected by easily administered screening procedures that have the potential to identify individual athletes who might derive benefit from interventions to restore their optimal function and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary B Wilkerson
- Graduate Athletic Training Program, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, United States
| | - Shellie N Acocello
- Graduate Athletic Training Program, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, United States
| | - Meredith B Davis
- Graduate Athletic Training Program, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, United States
| | - Justin M Ramos
- Graduate Athletic Training Program, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, United States
| | - Abigail J Rucker
- Graduate Athletic Training Program, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, United States
| | - Jennifer A Hogg
- Graduate Athletic Training Program, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, United States
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